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In the heart of the Las Vegas strip, you’ll find the Dark Kingdom, owned and run by the four Dark Kings with their best friend Luca also having some input into the work that goes on behind the scenes of the original Three Wise Men dealings.

Due to mature content and themes, this book series from Shantel Tessier is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over.

The Dark Kingdom Series: Reading Order

The Dark Kingdom series from Shantel Tessier is best read in the following order.

Code of Silence: A Mafia Romance (The Dark Kingdom Book 1) by Shantel Tessier

Dangerous and feared.
Those words describe my future husband. Who just so happens to also be my ex-boyfriend.
It’s complicated. Two years ago, he broke my heart when he left me to do his father’s bidding. After months of crying, I finally accepted he was gone and wasn’t going to look back. That maybe he’d never loved me at all. I never wanted to see Luca again.

Now a cruel twist of fate has signed me over to him in a heartless deal. I’m his. He thinks he did me a favour, but I feel like I’ve been given a death sentence. He doesn’t want to get married because he still loves me. No, he did it for money. More power.
I’m going to be a mafia wife. And there’s only one way out of it. Death.
But as it turns out, someone else doesn’t want me to marry the ruthless Luca Bianchi. And if he has his way, I’ll see that early grave.

Totally Booked UK: Four years ago, Haven Knowles started dating a college senior, Luca Bianchi. A mafia bad boy whom she gave her heart, as well as her virginity, which is no little thing considering she was effectively a mafia princess. For two years things seemed to go well but after overhearing a conversation regarding Luca’s father she begs him to let them run away together – only Luca never shows up the next day. Leaving Haven heartbroken, dropping out of her senior year of college and wallowing at home.

Returning from a run, she finds Luca’s car outside her family home and a red mist appears, but this is nothing to how mad she is when she finds she has been sold for her hand in marriage to Luca!

Being a mafia heir isn’t always easy, especially when you are dragged into the older generations’ war. Leaving Haven behind two years ago was not out of choice but knowing that he had to protect another. Working tirelessly to find a way back to her and when the opportunity presents itself he is all in, whether she is happy about it or not. Working alongside the Dark Kings, Luca is still trying to find out what the larger plan is from Rossi as he is ready to make his moves.

Haven’s heart and mind are conflicting with each other, on one hand, she is pleased Luca is back and ready to claim her as his own. But on the other hand, she is mad as hell and ready to show him how much, Secrets are unveiled on both sides leading to some eye-opening surprises but will this bring them closer? or drive them apart?

Titan: A Dark Romance (The Dark Kingdom Book 2) by Shantel Tessier

Titan
​I know I have a black soul. Bloodshed and danger are what I live for. A King is supposed to rule his Kingdom using any means necessary to demand respect.I’m not a weak man… A King kneels to no one.I’ve only ever cared about one other person in my life, but the thing is, she never belonged to me. And before I could tell her how I felt, she left.

Now she’s returned, needing someone to save her. Emilee York was always meant to be mine, and I’ll see to it that happens. I always get what I want, even if that means I have to take it.And she’s no different. She’ll be my queen, one way or the other.

Emilee
​When I left Sin City behind me, I had no plans to return. I avoided everyone, even my friends, to stay in my bubble. I’ve always been the kind to pull away and run when things get difficult.But one phone call changed everything, and I was racing back. If only I had known what was waiting for me.

Titan reappeared like a ghost haunting me. One look and I knew he recognized me. I never forgot him or what we shared. Those feelings that no one else knew existed between us.
I ignored them back then, but now they are more intense than ever. “Get on your knees…” He demanded I kneel for him.
I tried to act like he didn’t affect me, but he knew. He remembered the way I reacted when he would touch me. And just like he was taught to do—he used my weaknesses against me.

He staked his claim, and I became his queen to use how he saw fit. What makes it worse is that I crave him, and when I kneeled, it was willingly. But was it for nothing?

Totally Booked UK: After college Emilee opted to leave Las Vegas behind and move to Chicago. For the past few years, this has been her home, however, finding out that her mom was dying she prepares to sell her home and move back. If this wasn’t bad enough as she was making the preparations to move her father died of a heart attack.

Desperately packing as much as she can into her car she drives home to find that her father’s business partner has left everything in the will including the family home. Emilee is not due to receive anything until her 35th birthday. george has an awful proposition for her but it means her mom’s health expenses will be paid for.

As one-fourth of the Dark Kings,  Titan has his fingers in many pies, although he was surprised to hear the news about Nick York, Emilee’s father dying. especially as George owes the Kings $500k he ponders how they will get their money back. Having gone through school and college with Emilee whilst she ‘dated’ Bones,  Titan has always kept his eye on her. Surprised to find her down on her luck in a bar, taking the opportunity to grab her phone – refusing to give it back unless she drops to her knees.

The pair seem to have a love/hate relationship yet crossing that line would be much bigger than they thought it would be. Needing a job and money Emilee auditions to be a Queen,  Titan is unsure as to why he agreed to it but soon he realises that she is to be his Queen and nobody else’s. But with secrets and pasts to be revealed – will they be better off apart?

Grave: A Dark Romance (The Dark Kingdom Book 3) by Shantel Tessier

Grave
My life went to hell years ago, and I’ve had a death wish ever since then with fast cars, women, and drugs. They don’t call me Grave for nothing!
But I do it because I need to feel something… anything. What’s life worth living without the high?
And then I saw her!
She’s too good for me, and I should stay away. But like an addict, I switch one drug for another, and I’ll be taking her to hell with me.

April
I’m anything but sweet, despite what people think, so when he tells me I’m too good for him and I’m better off without him, I don’t listen.
My life was simple before Grave stepped through that door, but who wants simple?
He makes me feel alive. It only took one, and I became addicted!
But that’s the problem. Addiction is Grave’s middle name, and when he tells me he’s taking me to hell with him, I don’t know whether to take that as a threat or a promise!

Totally Booked UK: Keeping the flower shop running is the only thing April has left of her mother besides her brother Ethan. However, it’s clear that he doesn’t feel the same connection to the store as he keeps slacking off which is how she meets Grave as he comes into the store to order a bouquet for his mother. Although she finds him attractive she doesn’t make a move or anything. An incident at the store a week or so later has her realising that her brother is into things that she is not aware of.

There are some people in this world who feel too much and  Grave (Kyle) has always been one of those people. Especially after the death of his mom, leaving both his and his brother Bones telling him to hide his emotions. Something he has done through drinking and drugs, becoming reliant on them to squish his feelings and enjoying the numbness., Having an unhealthy relationship with Lucy Mason, however, meeting April has him wishing for more from his life.

Their lives cross paths due to her wishing to make a deal on behalf of her brother.  Grave pays off the $50k debt to the Mason brothers and attempts to get Ethan to toe the line. Although their relationship starts out well Lucy keeps making herself known and brings  Grave back into the world of drugs. Needing to keep him alive throughout the chaos of everything around them he checks into rehab. April discovers that she is pregnant but doesn’t wish to put too much pressure on him and prepares to raise the baby alone. Will they find a way to be together?

Cross: A Dark Romance (The Dark Kingdom Book 4) by Shantel Tessier

Cross
Have you ever stood next to a fire and felt the heat of it on your skin? Stared into the flames and thought how amazing it would be to be that free. It changes direction with the wind, destroying everything in its wake.
That’s what she felt like.
Alexa was a wildfire that torched everything she touched, and I couldn’t wait to be consumed by her.
She was off-limits. Even though I promised to stay away, I couldn’t resist. She was the spark I had been missing in my life. The fire I craved. I knew from an early age I was destined to burn in hell, but she was born to walk through fire.

Alexa
I was single-minded, focused, and independent. Just how my mother raised me. I didn’t have time for anything other than myself and work.
Funny how everything can change in an instant when you least expect it.
A King entered my life.
What was supposed to be a one-night stand ended up being too many to count. He was afraid that I’d see his darkness, but I couldn’t get enough of him.
After all, a fire burns the brightest in the dark of night. And it only takes one match to cause total devastation.

Totally Booked UK: With her best friend dating one of the Dark Kings, Alexa has made friends with the rest of the wives and girlfriends. Attending Titan and Emilee’s wedding she sees Cross from across the reception but shies away from doing anything about the looks from him. Having recently broken up with her fiance who cheated on her, she is still reeling from it all. Heading to the Airport a few weeks late with Jasmine for a night out she is surprised to find Cross and Grave there.

Now that his partner in crime is a recovering addict, Cross finds himself at a loose end. Although he is still accompanying him for his fight nights, spotting Alexa and Jasmine he is not happy that they are here without protection.  Grave’s warning about her being off-limits still plays in his head as Alexa stares home down testing his resolve. Ultimately unable to resist her, they share just one night, however, Cross wants more than one night and they embark on a secret hook-up.

Difficulties with her ex-Mitch have Cross claiming his territory, however, as they keep hooking up they know that they need to talk to  Grave, but things happen to make them keep things hidden for longer than they hoped. Alexa accepts a business proposal from Jasmine and Bones regarding her bar Lucky’s, but her brother isn’t too happy about her connections with the Kings. A fire has them questioning who would do this and secrets from Cross’s past are unearthed. Will this mean the end of their fledging relationship?

Bones: A Dark Romance (The Dark Kingdom Book 5) by Shantel Tessier

Bones
I got my name from breaking the bones of a kid who picked on my younger brother, but that’s only where it started.
My black heart craves violence, and being a King gives me plenty of opportunities.
When a friend comes to me for help because someone he loves is in danger, I’m happy to do so. After all, my friends are few, and they are my family.

Once I have her, I do what I have to in order to protect her. She thinks she’s in hell, but this is child’s play compared to what she would have faced.
She’s an innocent through and through and completely off-limits. But that’s not enough to stop me from doing what I do best—taking what’s mine.

Mia
I was born into a deadly Mafia family, yet I’m a nobody. To the world, I don’t exist.
Shuffled from Vegas as a child and sent to Italy for my protection, I became invisible. Until they found a use for me. Now I’m a card my father can play. A chance to cash in on the family name to the highest bidder.
Taken from my home, I’m sold to a King. His hard blue eyes take no prisoners. He’s just another pretty face to hide the evil and in no way my saviour.

Now I know what hell looks like because I’m living it. But just when I think I can finally be free, it all comes crashing down, and the King I thought would end me is the only one who can save me.
All I wanted was to be somebody, but now I wish I’d stayed the nobody.

Totally Booked UK: For twenty years, Mia has been the hidden Bianchi mafia princess. Concealed within her family home until she was thirteen and then shipped off to Italy with the help of the oldest brother Luca. Taken by one of her twin brothers Matteo and transported back to the US she isn’t about to roll over and accept her fate of being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Bought, drugged and taken to an ocean-side home in California she wasn’t sure what to expect from the man who bought her but this wasn’t it. Told to forget everything about her old life and to contact nobody except him.

Surprised to find his long-term friend Luca stripping down in his office to prove that he wasn’t wearing a wire was one thing. However, the favour he asked was quite another – track down his sister, purchase her for $10m and then hide her away from the world. Naturally agreeing to help he completes the task, but steals one little kiss before he leaves her, which has him thinking about her weeks later.

An unexpected visit from her twin brothers and then the news that Luca has been shot three days later has Mia rushing to Las Vegas and into Bones (Dillion’s) life. Tracking down why this is happening and how they can stop things proves to be a constant battle for the Kings. Dillion finds himself pulled towards Mia even though he knows that she deserves better than him, Will they be able to find out how to keep Mia safe before it’s too late? Will Bones realise what he has with Mia before he walks away again?

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